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Why Is Throwing Salt Over Your Shoulder Considered Good Luck?

Why Is Throwing Salt Over Your Shoulder Considered Good Luck?

May 21st, 2012Games

One of the oldest superstitions in the book is throwing salt over your shoulder when you want to give yourself good luck or avoid being cursed for one reason or another. It seems like a pretty strange practice, especially given how common table salt is nowadays. But this wasn't always the case! There was a time when salt was much harder to find, therefore giving it more symbolic significance. Here's a basic primer on why we throw salt over our shoulders in an effort to improve our luck.

It's said that this superstition dates as far back as biblical times - back then, salt was a very rare commodity, crucial in keeping food preserved. In fact, it was often used instead of traditional currency, simply because of how valuable it was.

There are a couple of ways to interpret throwing salt over your shoulder when you get into trouble. One is that it blinds the devil, allowing you time to clean up your messes. Another is that it keeps him at bay, preventing him from sneaking up on you.

One interesting fact is that you're supposed to specifically throw salt over your left shoulder. Many scriptures say that the devil lies to the left of the straight and narrow path (if you think of the image of the devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other, he almost always sits to the left).

It's an old practice, to be sure, but one with interesting roots. So, the next time you feel the need to remedy a situation, try tossing some salt over your shoulder, just in case!